Weekly digest #25 of 2026

• Becoming a Freelance Illustrator for Marvel, Disney and DC — In this episode of Being Freelance with Steve Folland, Birmingham-based designer and illustrator Doaly shares his journey of transitioning from a comfortable, senior UX role to a full-time freelance illustrator working with Disney, Marvel, and DC.
• How Can You Showcase Your Freelance Work if You've Signed an NDA with Your Client? — An NDA limits the disclosure of sensitive client data, not your ability to demonstrate expertise, writes Elina Jutelyte in her latest LinkedIn post. As she states, you don’t need to name clients or share internal documents to prove your worth—you just need to showcase the capability behind the work.
• Behind the Scenes of My Six Figure Freelance Writing Business — Lizzie Davey shares a realistic, honest picture of what it really takes to build a sustainable freelance business, covering everything from what her client roster looks like to how she finds work.
• Getting Clients Without Talking About Yourself, by Lilli Graf — Selling your services or praising your own work can be incredibly difficult, especially for women often held back by Tall Poppy Syndrome. Instead of aggressive self-promotion, Lilli advocates for a shift toward extreme clarity: when you clearly communicate what specific problems you solve and for whom, you make it effortless for peers to advocate for you. Awareness of your offer spreads organically through a network of trust, without you ever having to actively pitch yourself.
• We Need the Friction of Existence — Benjamin Riley’s interview with Tomáš Baránek cuts through AI hype using cognitive science. Riley warns against AI-driven deskilling and explains why these models produce only "average" human thought. The dialogue delivers a vital message: professional creators need the natural friction of real life to truly think and create.
• Early Rejections — Rejection hurts today, but it fuels tomorrow. A short reflection on setbacks as a catalyst for growth, accompanied by a rare 1978 Guinness rejection letter sent to a young Seth Godin.

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